Gone
by thehopefulone
Summary: A horrible tragedy strikes the group, challenging their friendships, their love, and even their lives. All this right before the birth of the second Erickson child. How will this tiny miracle affect the somber group? They begin to cope with the stress, and truly appreciate everything they have. Set in the year 2015.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer- I don't own how I met your mother.**

** A/N- I know the plotline has been done before, but the little twist in this might make it just might make it very interesting. Reviews = LOVE!**

* * *

Robin Scherbatsky was running late. She sprinted out of the news room, tote bag flying behind her, and into the Manhattan night. She threw her hand out and hailed a cab like an expert New Yorker.

"Get me to 9th street, Please!" She yelled to the driver. "Hurry!"

The driver took off, and she leaned back into the seat, trying to relax. Upon finding that she wasn't able to, she pulled out her cell phone and fired off one text to two people.

**U there yet?**

Ted's and Barney's responses were immediate and in sync.

**Mosby, Ted- yup.**

**Stinson, Barney "sexy"- just got there**

She sighed in relief. Now she just needed to get there. Lily was in labor with her second child, and she needed her friends. Especially Robin.

The taxi pulled in front of the hospital, and Robin stepped out and ran. Realizing that she forgot to pay the driver, she doubled back and crossed the street, digging in her purse for a $20 bill.

Another car came speeding into the parking lot, and all the taxi driver saw was Robin Scherbatsky falling to the ground, blood pooling around her.

* * *

From the lobby where he waited for Robin, Barney saw paramedics in front of a car.

_Maybe that's why she is running late,_ Barney thought. _Maybe she can't get through because of the accident._

He saw the paramedics load the woman onto a stretcher, and from the lobby, Barney noticed the woman's shoes. They were bright green pumps. He knew without looking closer that they had little gems on the sides and they were size 7 1/2. He knew because he had bought them for her.

_Robin._

He ran forward, pushing past the 2 drivers. "Robin! ROBIN!"

The paramedics pulled the stretcher through the lobby, and he ran alongside them.

"Do you know this woman?" The paramedic asked him.

"Yes!" Barney panted. "She's my wife."

"OK, we might need you to fill out some paperwork later, but right now is their anything we need to know? Allergies or medical conditions?"

Barney shook his head, and remembered that he know had 2 places he needed to be right now. He whipped out his phone, calling Ted.

"Barney, where are you?" Ted asked.

"ROBIN HAS BEEN HIT BY A CAR!" Barney screamed in response.

"What?!"

"Getting here, she was hit." Not much of a clarification, but Barney was panicking.

"Where are you?"

"In the emergency room, by the hot nurse." He said, running by. The nurse, who was indeed hot, crinkled her nose and rolled her eyes.

"OK." Ted said. "I'm coming."

He hung up the phone and turned to where Lily lay, panting, on the bed. " Robin was hit by a car! I gotta go make sure everything's fine." He yelled as he ran out the door.

"Robin? What?" The almost-new-mother screamed after him, but Ted was gone.

* * *

People say that when you go through dangerous situations, your whole life flashes before your eyes. Her friends had confirmed this.

But when it is really happening, it feels so real. The flashes came and went so quickly that Robin couldn't process anything else.

She was home in Canada.

She Ted, Barney, Lily and Marshall.

She dated Ted.

She went on a girls night out with Lily.

She played lazer tag with Barney.

She gained Kevin, she lost Kevin.

And then, her favorite memory, she was on top of the World Wide News building, and Barney held a ring.

* * *

**If you like it so far, I have so much more for this story. Please review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer- I don't own HIMYM**

**A/N- Thanks so much for the sweet reviews! Here's a little more for you.**

* * *

From the corner of the room, Barney stood, completely numb, as the doctors hovered over her. His world was white around the edges and he could only pick up pieces of the conversation around him.

"Were losing her! ...charge...and CLEAR! Do the chest compressions..."

None of this hit Barney at all. He just stood, staring blankly at the window, but not out of it. His eyes focused on the piece of glass itself rather than the busy world outside it. He was in shock.

Finally, something hit him. It was the sound of the flat line, one long

Beeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep.

His heart stopped for a minute, and the blood pounded in his ears. "Scherbatsky." He whispered, as if saying the old nickname would somehow bring her back.

And then, as if a miracle had occurred, the noise went back to normal.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Barney ran to her, softly cupping her face in his hands. He kissed her cheek, and gently brushed her hair out of her closed eyes.

"Mr. Stinson." The doctor said, motioning over to Barney, "May I have a word with you."

Barney glanced back toward Robin, who lay sleeping, but alive. He knew, then, that something was not alright.

* * *

The doctors had kicked Ted out of Robin's room, so he decided to wait in the maternity ward lobby. Marvin sat on the floor, playing in blissful ignorance.

"Hey, buddy." Ted said to the 3 and 1/2 year old. "Are you excited to be a brother?"

Marvin just shrugged and kept rolling the hot wheels car over the gray carpet. Ted then looked up to see Marshall walking out of the delivery room, with a pink bundle in his arms.

"Its a girl."

"Congrats, man." Ted said, patting his shoulder in a brotherly way.

They both looked up to see Barney at the end of the lobby. He looked horrible. His suit was wrinkled and his hair was a mess.

Ted instantly moved over to him, and Marshall followed. "What happened?" Ted asked cautiously.

Barney cleared his throat and slowly brought his eyes up. "Shes...shes...in a coma."

And for the first time in Bro history, Marshall and Ted saw Barney cry.

* * *

**A/N- Please review!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer- I dont own HIMYM**

**A/N- Thank so much for all the reviews/follows/favorites! You all are awesome. This chapter is gonna have a lot of flashback moments, they are not in order of season or anything. Just random moments from the life of my favorite character, Robin Scherbatsky.**

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The room was silent and still when Marshall told Lily what had happened. A birth was supposed to be a happy thing, but when the nurse walked in and saw the somber faces, she knew that something had gone wrong, and it wasnt with the baby, who was perfectly healthy.

Lily lay on the bed, in complete shock. Marshall sat on the edge, arm around his wife. He didnt know how to comfort her when he needed comfort, too. Barney had disapeared somewhere, and Ted sat in the chair in the corner, unmoving.

Marvin toddled over to his parents, happy. He didnt really understand what had happened, even after Ted had told him. It wasnt his fault, though, no one had explained to him what "In a coma" meant.

"Mammmaa.." The boy whined after realizing that NO ONE was paying any attention to him. "You boooooorrinnng." Then he smiled as if he had a bright idea. "Wheres Auntie Robin? Shes fuuuunnnn!"

Then Lily burst into tears. This was real.

* * *

In life, there is a mix of happy and sad moments. Moments where you want to stand up and do a dance right where you are, or maybe those moments where you want to break down and cry.

It didnt matter. Robin replayed all the moments in her mind as she slept. The memories consumed her so she couldnt think of the pain she felt.

She was in a short dress, jumping on Barney's bed with fizzy beer spraying into the air. It was a moment of sheer excitement.

Then she was on the beach, walking with her hand clasped in another mans'. A camera filmed her every move as she sang the words to "Sandcastles in the sand" for the video.

In a flash of color, she was in a muesum. She ran after Barney, in heels and a dress, going crazy touching all the things they werent supposed to touch. For him, she would break all the rules.

She was crying then, setting under her desk at work. She gulped down a bottle of wine and wiped away the tears that just kept coming.

A rainbow flashed across the moment, and there she was lying on the floor. Her face was messy, because she was eating ribs in a very non-ladylike way.

She was sitting on a bench, in the middle of the night, with the snow falling around her, masking the pain. She drank egg nog and thought about her whole life and stupid choices.

She was bracing herself, embarrased about Lily's wedding shower present. She was trying to think of a plan to fix this embarrassing situation.

Then she was smiling at her own wedding. She was in Barney's arms, her new favorite place in the world, and they were dancing for the very first time as a couple.

Her whole life came back to her in snippets and rainbows. Her emotions were tangled like christmas lights. The pain was so great that her body wouldnt let her come out of this coma.

Because of this coma, she wasnt even aware that the man she loved so much, Barney Stinson, was sitting next to her. He sobbed, not caring who saw, begging her to come back. Her hands were in his, they fit together so perfectly. He talked to her through the night, wondering the whole time if she could hear him. Of course, there was no way for him to be sure but it didnt matter. He said only sweet things, about how much he loved her and missed her. Barney Stinson was expirencing a kind of hurt that he had never, ever felt before.

The most wonderful person he had ever met was in a coma. His heart ached to see her smile, hear her laugh, taste her sweet kisses. Every one of his senses missed her in some way. He cried for Robin Scherbatsky untill his face was red and raw.

And then he just slept, her head on his shoulder. Wishing that either she would either wake up in the morning with him, or he himself could be in a coma of ignorance.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer- I don't own HIMYM**

**A/N- WOW! The response to this story has been amazing! Thanks so much to those of you who have taken your precious time to leave a review.**

* * *

Her name was Lydia Robin Erickson and she was singlehandedly the most precious thing that anyone had ever seen. She had bright blue eyes and dark, damp curls, and now she lay in the bassinet, swaddled in the pink blanket.

Barney had long since gotten over the fact that he would never have kids of his own. If that was the price he had to pay to be with Robin, it was obviously worth paying. But seeing Lydia, he couldn't help but wish for a miracle that brought her a baby. He knew she would want that, too.

But these days, Barney wished for a lot of things that would never come. It had gotten to a be a fact of life that things didn't work out the way he needed them to.

The baby girl, asleep in Barney's arms, opened her mouth in a wide yawn. It was, by far, the cutest little yawn Barney had ever seem. Her tiny hand moved up and pushed the pink hat off her head, and Barney smoothed down her hair and adjusted the hat again. Out of a tragedy came this miracle.

Life always balances out, but usually its in more subtle ways. For example, maybe you spill coffee on yourself, but find a $20 bill on the street. Maybe you make a mistake and embarrass yourself , then meet a new friend who lets you forget it all. Most balance in life we don't even realize untill days, months, even years later.

But right now the balance was not subtle. Sometimes, Barney realized, that to gain a life you must first lose one.

And they were so incredibly close to losing Robin.

* * *

Barney hated to do it, but he had to go into Robin's work. In her hurry to get out of there that horrible night, she had left the checkbook on her desk. He had bills to pay (hospital ones included) and needed the checkbook, so into the news studio he went.

When he walked in, he expected the usual hustle-and-bustle, but instead the place was dead silent. The other journalists took a long detour around her desk, which had become a sort of shrine. It was covered in flowers and letters, sent by fans.

Barney nodded to a few people, who gave him sad looks. Then he got the checkbook and left quickly. Robin loved the usually busy place, and she would've hated this.

* * *

He got home and fell onto the couch, lying there all numb. He kept expecting her to open the door, walk in all-smiles. Kiss him, make him feel like the world wasn't all that bad.

But she never did.

He began to drift off to sleep when he heard a knock at the door. He first tried to ignore it, hoping that the person would just go away. But after the second round of knocks he found the strength to moan "its open."

Lily popped her head in. "I expected to see you like this." She said, walking in and tossing random trash into the garbage. She pulled a disinfecting wipe from the container on the counter and ran it along the tables, cleaning everything in sight without plan. She made her way into the bedroom and began smoothing the blankets and straightening the pillows on the bed.

Barney got up off the couch and followed her into the bedroom. "Lily, what are you doing here?"

"I am just helping." She said, pulling the sheets down to cover the sides of the mattress. "You can't live in this mess."

Barney sighed. "You say you are helping me, but YOUR'E the one with the problem." He leaned against the doorway, too tired to stand straight.

Lily smoothed the corners of the comforter down, on Robin's side of the bed. "I needed to be able to control something." She whispered. Barney nodded in understanding and together they walked back into the main room and sat down on the couch.

"Things are gonna get better." Lily said, as if she were trying to convince herself that this was true. Then her expression changed and she began to sob. "It's not fair!" She fell into Barney's shoulder, and he put his arms around her. He comforted her to comfort himself. "Its ROBIN. All she ever wanted to do was find love, and be a journalist, and...and..."

Lily's voice was reduced to sobs and Barney finished the sentence. "Live."

They sat in silence, letting the sound of the word ring in their minds.

The only reason that Robin would sing songs, write things on bathroom walls, get in trouble at museums, DANCE, and say the things that she did was because she wanted to live. She wanted a big life full of happiness and fun.

And because of this, everyone wanted to live with her. She was such a happy woman, that people wanted to be around her.

She was such a special girl, and unique and individual person.

If that woman was taken away from the world, 1/5 of their group would be gone.

But the void in everyone's hearts would be utterly

irreplaceable.


	5. Chapter 5

**Hey everyone! Sorry its been so long, I've been craaaaazzy busy. But I promise there is lots more to come! I will do another chapter maybe tonight, tomorrow at the latest!**

**Oh, and please review! Those sweet reviews just make my day! **

* * *

Marshall held his 4 day old daughter, softly rocking her to sleep. When he was sure that Lydia was out, he gently laid her in her crib and quietly backed out the door. Marvin was already asleep, and Lily had left a while ago to be with Barney. She was convinced that she could help him, when everyone knew the truth.

Marshall was the one who kept it together. He kept care of the kids, and went around to everyone (adults, included) and made sure they were eating enough food. He had to spoon feed his wife some days, but his own grief made hers understandable.

However, food had an opposite effect on him. While his friends weren't able to eat, Marshall had gained 6 pounds. All the stress of taking care of everyone was hard to bear.

* * *

Ted wasn't sad, he was angry. Furious.

Why Robin? She was so perfect, such a good friend. He would've given anything to take her place, so he wouldn't have to see her hurt. But Ted also knew the world didn't work that way. He wished he could've saved her.

The stress of Ted's life piled up, and now it was boiling over.

He took the last swig of beer and hurled the empty bottle across the apartment. Ironically, it shattered a picture frame, the photo of the two of them. They were there, smiling. His arm around her waist, his strung loosely around his neck. The picture was so old, he had completely forgot there was ever a time like that. The frame had just become one of those decorations that had been up for so long, that he didnt appreciate its beauty anymore.

Ted scooped the pieces of glass up with his bare hands and dumped them in the trash. Then he put the picture frame back, no glass, just a wobbly photo, and positioned it so he could see it better. It meant nothing, he told himself. The glass was broke, but her smile was still there.

Right?

* * *

The hospital room was quiet, except for the soft beep beep beep that meant her heart was beating, and that her lungs held air.

So why wouldn't she wake up?

The night nurse came in and fixed the blankets and replaced the IV bag.

Then, Robin began to stir. The nurse stepped backwards. "oh!" she said, mouth hanging open.

"WHAT?" Barney yelled, jumping from the uncomfortable chair he had been sitting in.

"I do believe she's waking." the nurse said, clearly in awe. Then, she muttered something about getting the doctor, when her first priority was giving the couple some space. The story of this mans dedicated love had touched her heart, and seeing the story have a happy ending left her skipping down the hallways.

"Robin?" Barney whispered. "Can you hear me?"


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer- I don't own HIMYM**

**A/N- So this is the very end. It was hard for me to admit that I was done, and I had to stop writing. But thank you all so very much for following/reviewing/favoriting and I hope you choose to check out some of my other work.**

* * *

Her bright eyes fluttered open, and the first thing she did was smile. Barney instantly smiled back, and leaned across the bed rails to hug her.

"what happened? why..." she asked.

"There was a car accident, while you were getting out of the cab here, for Lily's birth."

She laughs lightly. "its not like I could've handled the birth anyway. I probably would have fainted again."

Barney laughed too, admiring the way she made a bad situation, well, ...awesome.

"Is the baby OK?" Robin wondered aloud.

"Oh, yup. She's perfect."

"oh! a girl! Robin said, excited.

"Her name is Lydia Robin Erickson. She was born 5 days ago."

Robin froze. "what? 5 days ago?" Robin said, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah, Sherbatsky..." Barney choked out. "You were in a coma."

"Oh...wow. I...I...didn't know."

They remain quiet for a minute, and Robin leans toward him and brushes his lips with hers.

"I love you so much, Barney. Please don't you ever forget that. "

He watched her eyes spill over with tears, and he took a deep breath to keep himself together. "Robin...when I lost you it was the scariest thing to ever happen to me. "

He kissed her again, and when the kiss was done they stared into each others eyes, forehead to forehead. "I love you Robin Charles Stinson"

* * *

After spending hours together, hands intertwined and constant flow of talk, Barney slipped into the hall to call their friends. He waved at the hot nurse, and dialed Lily's number.

"You should come." He said when she awnsered. He had tried to say it casually, but he was too excited and to Lily the excitement sounded like danger.

"Is everything alright?" Lily asked, her voice full of panic, but Barney wanted everyone to see Robin themselves. To tell Lily now, over the phone, would ruin the surprise.

So Barney casually awnsered. "Just come." and then he hung up the phone.

When he got back into the room he saw her leaned over, scrutinizing the cast that covered her whole leg, from toes to her upper thigh.

"It hurts a lot..." Robin admitted to him, without glancing up. "But how bad is it really?"

" 'Batsky, it shattered bone."

She winced. "That sounds horrible."

"Well..." he said, scooting over to her and wrapping his arm around her shoulder. "I'd take a broken leg over a coma any day."

"Touché."

Just then, Lily, Marshall, and Ted all burst into the room, and stopped in shock at the doorway, staring at Robin intensely.

"ROBIN!" Lily squeeled, running over to her. "You're awake." The whole group tackled her in a hug.

When they backed up a little (not much) they pestered her with questions.

"What did you think about when you were in the coma?" Ted asked.

"Could you hear us talking to you?" Barney wondered, using "us" instead of the more truthful "me".

"Actually, no." She said, adjusting the blankets on the very uncomfortable bed. "I just...relived all these memories."

"What type of memories?" Lily asked.

"Most of them were with you all. Just...happy times."

Everyone smiled, sharing the moment.

A doctor entered the room, breaking the mood. Robin spoke up instantly. "So, when can i get out of here?"

"Normally we would keep a patient in your condition for another night, but you seem pretty keen on leaving us and I know your friends will take good care of you. " She was one of the nicer doctors that didn't make Barney mad. "I'll go get your discharge papers."

* * *

The nurses checked her eyes, heart rate, and blood pressure. Then they made her promise three times that if she felt any dizziness , memory loss, or vision problems she would call. Then, they got her a pair of crutches and let her go.

She hobbled her way out, ignoring all the "cripple" she was getting from her friends.

They made their way outside the hospital.

"So Robin." Marshall asked. "What do you want to do?"

"Eat!" She awnsered instantly. Everyone laughed, and she thought for a moment before saying "I want a burger from MacLarens!"

So they did. Robin got her burger (and so did everyone else) and they got a round of beers on the house, because everyone was so happy to see her, alive.

* * *

Finally she and Barney got back home. He carried her up the stairs, her arms around his neck, and they entered their home.

He set her down on the couch. "Can I get you anything?" he asked politely.

"Yeah, pain meds. My leg is killing me." Robin answered fast.

He got the medicine and a glass of water. She took it, swallowed, and leaned back, her leg elevated on the coffee table. Then, she looked at him and laughed.

"What's funny?"

"You, waiting on me. Its cute." She reached over and softly ran her fingers through his blonde hair.

"Robin...while you were gone..." he began, trying to talk seriously with her.

"Barney...its OK." she soothed, kissing his lips in interruption. "you don't need to worry, its over now.

"No. Listen. " he snapped, sternly. She pulled back and sat conservatively on the couch. He didn't mean to sound so harsh, he just really needed her to hear this.

"I..." he began again, then started over. "Robin, I broke down. I was SO worried I was going to lose you. I talked to you while you slept...I CRIED."

He stops. His soul felt raw and exposed, but for her he didn't mind so much.

He said so much with little words.

She takes a deep breath before responding. "I would've done the same thing. Its OK."

In that moment, he totally forgets why he was ever nervous about telling her. "Let's just not ever mention this again, OK?"

"OK." she nodds. There was no hesitation in her voice at all.

In one motion he swoops her into his arms and carefully tucks her into bed.

"Goodnight my beautiful Robin." he says, kissing her forehead, her eyes already fluttering closed.

That night Barney scraped his leg against her cast at least four times, but it hardly mattered.

He knew, as he held his arms around her, that she would wake up this time.

She was not gone.

**The end.**


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